Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

We don't buy their produce. Other than the kosher turkey breasts, we don't buy their meat.

TJ is, in no way, a general supermarket. Our local TJ is across the street from Gelson's Market. Daughter's local TJ is in the same shopping center as Wegmans. (I wish Wegmans was in CA, but I digress). One goes to TJ for specific items they are good at.

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Love TJs, but it's not a general grocery store to us. For a start, it's over an hour's drive away, but when we go, we stock up on some staples, mostly frozen. The French Onion Soup is a fave of the wife and I really like their Indian frozen meals and really good grlic naans to mop it up. I like to spice them up a little with some ghost pepper sauce sometimes, too!

For quick meals, it's hard to beat the mandarin Chicken paired with some fried rice. WE usually find some other good things to try and the cheese selection, as has been mentioned previously, is hard to beat. Prices, on the whole, are pretty reasonable too!

Just like any store, there are good things and not-so-good. You decide, but if you don't like it, don't go. That leaves one more of the usually sparse parking spaces for me!

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Our Trader Joes is right next door to a very good supermarket (Healthy Living in Burlington, VT.) 130 miles from where we live, unfortunately.

Both have a very good selection of wine. Apart from that, I find that they complement each other - bread, produce, cheese, other fresh food from the supermarket, food in jars and cans, frozen yummies etc. from TJs. My wife loves capers for instance, we get those at TJs.

I like French wine, and they always have a decent selection of claret at TJs.

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

I love TJs and find it so reasonably priced compared to other supermarkets local to here, it is generally 25% cheaper overall.
I happily buy their fresh produce, love their cheeses, polenta, the Chinese section in the freezer is fantastic, their rice cracker nuggets are gorgeous, l have hardly bought anything that we don't like and if we do, they happily refund you.
The only thing l don't like is their bread and bakery items but l just buy them elsewhere.
Enjoy!!!!

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Bananas

Chocolate bars

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

1lb of Belgian chocolate! I take them on camping trips....

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

and do not bring them back?

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

sure I do! on my hips...;)

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

I mainly buy cheese, coffee and nuts from TJs and creme fraiche. I bought the famous "Turkey & Stuffing en Croute" that was advertised everywhere for Thanksgiving as I was making a vegetarian option (Mushroom Wellington) and had 2 meat eaters and I couldn't be bothered to do a whole turkey. They said it was good.

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Chocolate Brooklyn Babka
Sliced French Brioche
Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
Lemon Curd
Chicken Tikka Samosas (frozen)
Pepper Jelly
Cookie Butter
Chocolate Croissants (frozen)
Chicken Soup Dumplings (frozen)
Shrimp Tempura (frozen)
Shrimp Nuggets (frozen)
Cookie Butter Cookies

Just a few off the top of my head 🙂

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

oh yeah! Forgot about the frozen croissants. My french friends all buy them. They are really good and so much better than anything we can buy "fresh" locally

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Add me as another HUGE TJ fan. Sadly the closest is almost an hour away, but when we have to travel that way, I insist we stop in.

Flaxseed Tortilla Chips (aka crisps)

Cheapest bananas anywhere (+ decent with it!)

Triple Ginger Cookies (yum!)

Frozen Green Beans (--for some reason these are SO good!)

Frozen Edamame

Frozen Indian hors d'oeuvres of ANY kind

Trail Mixes of many types

Irish Breakfast Teabags (strong!)



And more I can't remember right now. Plus low prices on much of their stuff--terrific!! Just have a wander around--some are smallish shops, & some are big.

P.S. I think their products used to be healthier overall. Decades ago when I fist discovered TJ, their stuff seemed super healthy, free of sugar, etc. Now you have to check the ingredient list.... :(

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Oh and another one I forgot yesterday... the TJ factor 50 spray on sun lotion is the BEST... I actually read a report on it an it came out really well. I never burn with it.

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

Their Bulgogi

Re: Tips for Trader Joes
 

What on Earth is Bulgogi? Is it Korean? :unsure: